US accuses Russia of violating treaty with 'invincible' missile
Washington has accused Moscow of openly violating Cold War treaties by developing new weapons that President Vladimir Putin has called “invincible”.
In his state-of-the-nation address on March 1, President Vladimir Putin said Russia had successfully tested many types of strategic nuclear weapons including nuclear cruise missiles, unmanned high-speed submarines and a new type of hypersonic missile.
Putin's message appeared to challenge Washington toward a new arms race ahead of Russia's presidential election. President Putin did not deliver his annual state of the nation address at the Kremlin as usual, but instead moved to an exhibition center, allowing him to display videos of missiles crossing mountains and oceans before emerging on the East Coast of the United States.
Mr Putin cited a speech in 2004 that Russia would develop a new generation of weapons, a promise he said had now been fulfilled. "None of you ever listened to us. Now you will have to listen,"APquoting President Putin's statement.
President Putin stressed that Russia's military efforts were a response to recent US actions. Washington last month unveiled plans to revamp its nuclear arsenal and develop new low-yield warheads.
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| Russia's Topol-M intercontinental ballistic missile. Photo: Defence Talk |
The US State Department expressed outrage at the message and videos simulating nuclear warheads exploding on US soil. “It is unfortunate to see videos simulating a nuclear attack on the United States. That is something we certainly do not like to see. We consider it the behavior of an irresponsible nation,” said Heather Nauert, a spokeswoman for the US State Department.
Ms. Nauert added that Russia has been developing destabilizing weapons systems for more than a decade, in direct violation of its treaty obligations. Specifically, Russia has demonstrated its violation of the 1987 Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty through the development of ground-based cruise missiles.
The Pentagon responded more calmly to the message, with a spokesman stressing that the military was fully prepared to respond to “anything that comes our way.” The US has long accused Russia of violating the INF Treaty, and while it has modernized its nuclear arsenal, the US remains in compliance with the terms of the treaty.
